Machete Murder, Molestation and Shotgun Slaying Cases Due Back in Court

The cases of a tagger who allegedly shot a man in the neck, two people allegedly involved in an attempted machete murder for hire and a man who allegedly molested a 14-year-old relative at his furniture store are scheduled to return to court soon, according to authorities.

Here are three Fountain Valley-related cases on the docket this month:

MOLESTATION CASE

Jaime Gonzalez stands accused of molesting a 14-year-old female relative in his furniture shop in Fountain Valley Nov. 4.  

Several of the defendant’s family members were visiting the shop at the time, including the relative. Prosecutors allege Gonzalez led the teen out of view of her family to a secluded area of the shop and molested her. She immediately told her family about the incident, and the victim’s family reported the sexual assault to the Fountain Valley Police Department, who investigated this case.

Gonzalez is believed to have lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, Covina and La Verne.

Attorneys are scheduled in court for a pretrial hearing on the case Thursday.

SHOTGUN MURDER CASE

Authorities allege Reda Hassan Safieddine shot a member of a rival graffiti gang in the neck with a shotgun in a Fountain Valley parking Lot last year.

A few hours before the shooting on Aug. 13, 2012, Safieddine allegedly argued with the victim in a residential neighborhood near Cubbon Street and Mohawk Drive in Santa Ana.

After the confrontation, the two went their separate ways. At about 1:20 p.m. Safieddine allegedly drove parked his car in a convenience store parking lot in Fountain Valley.

Upon seeing the rival tagger driving into the parking lot, the Safieddine allegedly grabbing a shotgun from the backseat of his car as the victim walked toward Safieddine's car.

He then allegedly shot the victim one time, hitting him in the neck. The victim died at the scene.

Attorneys in the case are scheduled to hold a pretrial conference in a Santa Ana court June 28. 

MACHETE MURDER FOR HIRE CASE

Authorities link Mary Katheryn Sharpski and Michael Calvin Shores  to an attempted machete murder for hire, March 3, 2009.

Prosecutors allege Antonio Cinco Ortega, a friend of Shores, attacked Sharpski’s husband a Fountain Valley man, with a machete after Sharpski paid Shores to have him killed.

Ortega was found guilty of multiple charges Nov 2012, including attempted murder, according to court records. 

Sharpski, who was married with three children, allegedly had an affair with Shores, a tenant in their home for about a year. Authorities accuse Sharpski of planning to murder her husband Frank in order to live with Shores and her three children.

Sharpski and Shores allegedly met with Ortega and conspired with him, and Sharpski allegedly agreed to pay Ortega to murder her husband and provide him with information of his daily route.

Ortega then allegedly attacked Frank Sharpski outside his apartment in the alley of the complex on Euclid Street with a machete. The attack fractured the victim’s skull, severing a thumb and fingers, partly severing his nose, causing several machete wounds. Ortega then allegedly left him to die.

When FVPD officers responded at 5:51 a.m. to the scene, they found Frank Sharpski on the ground near the carports, bleeding severely and semi-conscious. He was transported to a hospital, where he received several surgeries and recovered from the attack.

Lawyers for the three are expected in court June 21 for a pre-trial hearing, followed by a scheduled jury trial Aug. 10.

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